Kumano mandalas represent the Kumano Shrine complex, one of the most sacred sites in Japan. The painting is divided into three sections. At center, Buddhas and bodhisattvas sit on the tiled floor of a temple. In the bottom register, Shinto deities appear against mountains that dip into the Pacific Ocean. The top register reflects the distinctive confluence of Shinto and Buddhism that took place in medieval Japan, depicting deities from both religious traditions standing side by side. At right is Nachi Waterfall, the largest waterfall in Japan, whose tutelary deity—the one-thousand-armed Kannon—is shown in shining gold. Standing against the tallest peak is the three-eyed, blue-bodied Zaō Gongen, the tutelary deity of yamabushi (mountain-dwelling practitioners of a sect known as Shugendō). The sect's legendary founder, En no Gyōja, can be seen seated in a nearby cave, flanked by his two servant-demons.

Provenance

[ Klaus F. Naumann , Tokyo, until 2006; sold to MMA].

Exhibition History

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Flowing Streams: Scenes from Japanese Arts and Life," December 21, 2006–June 3, 2007.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Animals, Birds, Insects, and Marine Life in Japanese Art," June 26, 2008–November 30, 2008.